Poll: Is Clam Hording Too Good?

Chris_Byler · #1 September 13th, 2007, 10:38 AM

It takes thousands of gold worth of mages to implement any of those (except maybe the earth buffs, which takes thousands of gold *and* resources worth of army + a few hundred gold mage).

Anyway, if item-destroying spells (I wasn't suggesting a combat spell, but a province-targeting ritual attack; a combat item destroyer would be interesting against SoS and a few other item-based strategies, but wouldn't solve the clam problem) had a low chance of affecting any particular item, then one guy with 5 items probably wouldn't be hit at all, or lose at most one of his items. They'd be designed for the province where 20 (or 50!) guys are hanging out with a clam and a lantern each.

I think they would shake the game up in a good way.

Sir_Dr_D · #2 September 13th, 2007, 08:02 PM

Except that the clams would likely be behind a dome, and would be hard to target.

Nikolai · #3 September 13th, 2007, 08:49 PM

The problem with clams/fetishes/stones is they end giving more gems that all magic sites... If gems generated are capped by map size, it will not be a problem, will it?

Killing clam holders is very hard. In a castle, behind many domes, guarded by army, maybe even hidden... good luck!

thejeff · #4 September 14th, 2007, 08:48 AM

Right, domes. So your clams will be shielded by a dome and this item destroying spell will only be useful against thugs and for armies out of their element.

As a thematic suggestion: What about having gem-producers only work if equipped on a mage with that path? More limiting for some than for others. How much affect that would have I don't really know.

Evil Dave · #5 September 14th, 2007, 12:46 PM

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Quote:

thejeff said:
As a thematic suggestion: What about having gem-producers only work if equipped on a mage with that path?

I thought their "intended" purpose was to provide armies w/ a continuous source of gems. When I do that, I usually stick them on scouts moving with my troops.

Your proposal might not be a bad idea if there was some way of distinguishing moving armies from mages safely researching in friendly territory.

<lurk>

Lord_Bob · #6 September 14th, 2007, 04:25 PM

This can be easily done by giving clams a -research penalty. Right where the Lightless Laterns get a + they get a -. Reflecting time spent caring for and feeding the clam.... or energy drain from the claim.

This gives clams an ongoing expense in term of RP points lost.

Of course, at The End Of Time with L-9's in all schools this cost means nothing... but at The End Of Time balance is a truly strange thing anyway.

Micah · #7 September 14th, 2007, 05:09 PM

indy commanders are really cheap and don't really do much researching, so any research penalty tied to clams is just going to result in a near-negligible nerf (in the form of a 40 gold commander cost and a less-than-3g upkeep, less if you have scouts instead of commanders) and a lot more micro.

And Chris, I believe a 2000 gold combat group can take down an SC in most cases. That's not all that much gold. Or use a 55-gem Troll King's Court + earth boots to kill most 100-gem SCs. Astral and Blood both utterly destroy SCs.

People like SCs because they're easy and mobile. No multi-mage scripting or having to shuttle troops in from different forts to assemble a decent-sized army, no supply issues (including gems for mages, always a pain). They're good investments, and can certainly tear through *unsupported* armies of chaff, but they have plenty of weaknesses to a properly prepared opponent.